Kenneth L. Yant, Jr., died attempting to save Richard L. Petty, Jr., from drowning, Martinsville, Indiana, August 26, 1989. Richard, 11, yelled for help as he struggled in the strong current below a dam in the White River. Other members of his family jumped into the river to help him, but they too became caught in the current. Fishing nearby from the bank, Yant, 33, press operator, went to the scene, where another fisherman told him what was happening. Yant disrobed to his swimming trunks, dived into the river, and swam toward Richard. The other fisherman secured a rope, which he and one of Richard’s family members used to pull Richard to the bank. While aiding the others, the fisherman saw Yant submerge near the face of the dam. He drowned.
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